Capital Audiofest 2023 Show Report / Chronicles Part 10
The Atrium Rooms
Show Report By Rick Becker

Continued... Valve Amplification Company (VAC), Von Schweikert Audio, And The Audio Company
The front ends and preamps were located far off to the left side on three Artesania Audio racks. The turntable was a TransrotorRondino with TR5003 tonearm ($23.2k) fitted with an Airtight PC1 Supreme cartridge ($11k). Its separate power supply was directly below it. Below that were the Aurender W20SE music server/streamer/renderer ($25k) and the Aurender MC10 Master Clock ($16k).

On top of the center rack was the VAC Statement Phono Preamplifier ($80k) with the power supply on the bottom shelf and an Esoteric N-01 XD streamer/renderer/DAC in the middle.

And on the right-hand rack was the VAC Statement Line Preamplifier ($80k) with its power supply on the bottom shelf and an Esoteric K1 Grandioso CD/SACD player ($21k) on the center shelf.

Here is a look at the world-class build quality of the VAC phono stage with 12AX7B vacuum tubes from China and beeswax and paper capacitors from Jupiter Condenser Co.

In the front window of the room were two pairs of more affordable Von Schweikert speakers. On the left was the Endeavor E-RE Mk II ($22k) which I mentioned above with its adjustable rear-facing AMT driver. Albert Von Schweikert used the rear-firing tweeter from his earliest days back with the VR-4 model that brought him to prominence.

If you are willing to forego the rear-firing tweeter and the ability to bi-wire and bi-amp your speakers there is the less expensive Endeavor E3 Mk II ($12k) seen on the right.

Stepping outside of the Potomac Room onto the Mezzanine, VAC had several kiosks displaying some interesting new products. On the left in the photo above was the Essence Phono stage ($9k) with the matching Essence Line stage on the right ($9k).

The new Essence 80 Monoblocks (($9.9k ea.) with Gold Lion KT88 tubes from Russia were also heard in the Regency Room where they drove the NOLA speakers very nicely in a very large room.

Anne Bisson
Turning around on the Mezzanine, who should I see, but Anne Bisson and her partner promoting her latest release. She's everywhere!

---> Next Page.